


"If you're brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello."

by apparently



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Found Family, Light Angst, Minor Injuries, Other, character study ??, the Phantoms need a HUG
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:54:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27398299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apparently/pseuds/apparently
Summary: We literally have no idea how long they were on the floor, waiting to disappear. This is that scene missing.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 86





	"If you're brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a little nervous posting this, but I couldn't get this concept out of my head. Like we literally have no idea how long they were on the floor, just waiting. Also, I'm well aware they were not holding each other like how I describe it. There's no way they weren't going to hold each other as they die for the second time and you can't change my mind otherwise.

Reggie groaned as they landed on the floor of the garage, the other two echoing his sentiments. Everything was on fire, and not in the way he feels on stage. He tried to take calming, deep breaths and missed by a mile. Ghosts didn’t need to breathe, but Reggie would like just a single second to _breathe_ , please and thank you.

“We can’t let her know we didn’t cross-over,” Luke gasps out between pained breaths. Tears immediately prick at Reggie’s eyes.

“And how do you suggest we do that?” Alex snapped weakly.

“We can’t let her know, we’ll just hide here until it’s- “

Luke stops abruptly.

 _Until it’s over,_ is left ringing in the empty space.

There’s a moment of heavy silence, only their harsh panting is heard. After everything they worked for, after everything they’ve been through, it’s over at the snap of some dusty, discount magician’s fingers.

 _I can handle dying from street dogs, but I draw the line at Houdini wannabe,_ Reggie thinks.

Well, doesn’t matter much now what Reggie thinks, does it?

“She’ll probably celebrate with her family and-and go to sleep,”

Reggie knows instantly that’s a lie.

“She’s going to come here,” Alex immediately rebukes. “Julie is going to come straight here; you know she will. She’ll want to say goodbye.”

Reggie agrees, and he knows on some level, Luke does, too. But if he-, if _they_ see Julie, leaving is going to be much more agonizing. Julie shouldn’t have to see the three of them painfully disappear into the After. She already lost her mom, now she’s losing them, too. No. She doesn’t deserve that. Reggie knows she’s going to come in here though, and say her goodbyes to the seemingly empty air. There's not a doubt in his mind that she won't come into the garage. Yet, he stays silent. Reggie is torn between agreeing with either of them. A selfish part of him, really hopes that she'll show up in time for them to hear their proper farewells. 

“If she comes in,” Luke begins quietly. “We won’t say a single word. We hide and don’t say anything.”

Another awful voltage wracks through their bodies that leaves them gasping for breath they don’t need. A moment of heaving breaths.

“Fine,” Alex chokes out.

And with that, Luke finally lets out a sob. Reggie feels one of his own lodged heavily in his throat, tears dripping steadily. His eyes blurrily focused on the ceiling above him. The floating chairs taunt him as he hears his bandmates, his _best friends dying_. For the second time, they’re dying. Reggie is dying, Alex and Luke are dying, _again_. It’s so much more terrifying this time, so much more painful.

At least with the hot dogs, it felt more like, well, bad street food. And then he found himself in a dark room for twenty-five years with Luke and an anxious Alex.

Twenty-five years together, and more before that.

He turns his head to see Alex curled up a little way near him, his arms clutching himself. Tear tracks make their way down his cheeks, dripping onto the floor. Reggie flicks his eyes towards Luke, facing the ceiling. Sobs were heaving out of him, shoulders shaking from the force.

Suddenly, he couldn’t stand to be so far away from them.

Reggie shuffles his way towards them, reaching out as best he can, wincing at every movement.

“Guys,” he croaks.

They turn to him and immediately follow his lead. Trembling hands reach out and clasp tightly between them. Reggie manages to pillow his head on Luke’s stomach, Alex on his chest; they link hands. Alex reaches his free hand up to meet Luke’s on his chest while Reggie has Luke’s other gripped up near his shoulder. They've barely settled into each other when another voltage has their bodies convulsing, but their hands hold tight.

“Fuck!” Alex pants.

Reggie and Luke laugh, but it sounds more like a wheeze.

“Oooh…” Reggie’s voice scratches out. “Alex said a bad word.”

“Shut… Up… _Reginald_ , “

Reggie huffs and hears Luke gasp out a watery laugh.

“Ouch,”

The currents died from their flaring, leaving behind a simmering circuit in their chests. Slowly, they try to relax as much as possible before the next round of jolts. Their touch was grounding, it made the pounding in Reggie's head dull down enough for him to think. He thought of how alive he’s felt since Julie brought them. How amazing it was to be with his bandmates and their new star. How incredible the adrenaline felt running through his veins when they performed on stage. How… so _alive_ he felt.

Tears start to pool and drip from his eyes again.

He imagines the After is cold and empty, so he holds onto his best friends’ hands, savoring the little warmth and comfort it gives him.  
Luke's crying slowed to a stop, but sniffling can still be heard all around. Silence, heavy as lead, surrounds them.

Reggie thinks about the crowds that sang their chorus back to them, both as Sunset Curve and the Phantoms. Thinks about watching Luke and Julie connect and belt their feelings through music, thinks about Alex bashing through his anxiety through his drums and performing with the gleam and shine of happiness in his eyes. How Julie's face looked alight with joy when singing and how Luke pours his heart and soul into the music every single time. Thinks about how his chest ached at the exhilaration he felt when he shredded on his bass and felt the music overwhelm him under blinding, hot lights. The absolute giddiness of performing with Julie for the first time and being seen and heard. Performing with renewed passion and frenzy since then. How they gave it their absolute all at the Orpheum.

Holy crap.

“Guys,”

The two grunted in acknowledgement.

“We played the Orpheum,” Reggie says in disbelieving, quiet awe.

He feels them freeze.

“We played the Orpheum,” Alex echoes softly.

“Know what that means, boys?” There’s a slight shake in Luke’s voice. “We did it. We’re legends.”

And despite it all, their aching forms, and their impending doom, they smile. With that, the air settles once more. There's silence, but it feels lighter at those words and the warmth coming from their linked hands. Reggie’s body is starting to feel numb and heavy. His thoughts are starting to get fuzzy. _Maybe we we’ll be gone before Julie even comes back_ , Reggie thinks distantly. His mind is pulled back to clarity though when they hear a car pull into the drive way. Immediately, the atmosphere tenses again, Alex and Luke’s grip tightens in response while Reggie’s mind starts racing. He takes a brief moment to thank whatever is out there that ghosts don’t have bones because he knows those would’ve definitely been fractures.

But then, Julie’s voice carries over to them and Reggie promptly starts to panic again. He wants to call out to her, to talk about music with her, wants to make her laugh again. He just wants _more time_.

Reggie internally begs and begs that she does not come into the garage. She can’t see them off, it’s better this way. It has to be better this way.

Then, they hear footsteps heading their direction. Luke’s grip is so, so tight.

“Not a single word,” he reminds them through clenched teeth.

Alex nods imperceptibly in agreement. Reggie is shaking.

 _We didn’t get to say goodbye_ , he thinks hysterically. _We were supposed to say goodbye before we went up. We didn’t say goodbye, we didn’t get to-_

The garage doors open and they make use of the not needing oxygen and instantly go stock still.

She only takes a few steps in, doesn’t even turn on the lights.

 _A good thing_ , Reggie tries to remind himself, even as he aches to call out to Julie.

“I… I know I already said this but, uh…” she begins.

 _I can’t do this, I can’t do this, I can’t do this_ , his mind screams. Reggie cannot handle not saying goodbye to Julie. He didn’t get to say goodbye to anybody the first time around. He wants to say goodbye so badly. He has to say something, anything.

“Thank you, guys,”

A single beat passes.

And Reggie breaks.

“You’re welcome.”


End file.
